Elongate housing with end cap members

Abstract

A horizontal counter-top water filter adapted to reside behind a sink faucet fixture. The water filter has a horizontal housing defining a fluid inlet chamber and a fluid filtration chamber, an inlet end cap which is configured to conduct an incoming fluid flow from the fluid inlet chamber to the fluid filtration chamber and an outlet end cap configured to receive a filtered fluid flow from the fluid filtration chamber to a fluid outlet spigot. The water filter is additionally fitted with a diverter valve and fluid conduit, which conducts diverted fluid from a sink faucet into the water filter.

I claim: 
     
       1. A water filtration apparatus, comprising: an elongated housing defining at least one fluid inlet chamber and at least one fluid filtration chamber therein, said fluid inlet chamber being positioned above and substantially parallel to said fluid filtration chamber, and housing further comprising a fluid inlet aperture in fluid flow communication with said fluid inlet chamber and first and second open ends of said elongated housing;   an inlet cap member having a fluid inlet channel and a fluid receiving chamber defined therein, said inlet cap member being operably coupled to said first open end of said elongated housing, wherein said fluid inlet channel is in fluid flow communication with said fluid inlet chamber of said housing and said fluid receiving chamber is in fluid flow communication with said fluid filtration chamber of said housing;   an outlet cap member having a fluid outlet chamber and a fluid outlet channel defined therein, said outlet cap member being operably coupled to said second open end of said housing, wherein said fluid outlet chamber is in fluid communication with a second end of said fluid filtration chamber and said fluid outlet channel conducts filtered fluid external to said housing; and   at least one filter medium provided in said fluid filtration chamber.   
     
     
       2. The water filtration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said housing further comprises a generally tubular member having a generally quadrilateral cross-section. 
     
     
       3. The water filtration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said fluid filtration chamber extends an entire lengthwise aspect of said housing and opens at each of said first and said second open ends of said housing. 
     
     
       4. The water filtration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said fluid inlet chamber extends a substantial lengthwise aspect of said housing. 
     
     
       5. The water filtration apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said generally tubular member further has an arcuate upper section and a quadrilateral lower section, wherein said fluid inlet chamber resides within said arcuate upper section and said fluid filtration chamber resides within said quadrilateral lower section. 
     
     
       6. The water filtration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said fluid inlet end cap further comprises first communication means for communicating a fluid flow from said fluid inlet chamber in said housing to said fluid inlet channel in said fluid inlet end cap, said first communication means further comprising an engagement protrusion projecting laterally from said inlet cap member, wherein said fluid inlet aperture is formed in said engagement protrusion; and second communication means for communicating a fluid flow from said fluid receiving chamber in said inlet end cap member to said filtration chamber in said housing, said second communication means further comprising at least one locking protrusion projection laterally from said inlet end cap member, wherein said at least one locking protrusion is adjacent to said fluid receiving chamber in said inlet end cap member, wherein said first and second communication means provide a fluid tight connection between said inlet end cap member and said housing. 
     
     
       7. The water filtration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said fluid outlet chamber of said outlet cap member further comprises receiving means for receiving a communicated fluid flow from said fluid filtration chamber in said housing, said receiving means also providing a fluid tight connection between said outlet cap member and said housing. 
     
     
       8. A water filtration apparatus, comprising: an elongated housing defining a fluid inlet chamber and a fluid filtration chamber therein, and having first and second open ends thereof, said fluid inlet chamber being positioned above said fluid filtration chamber, said housing further comprising a fluid inlet aperture in fluid flow communication with said fluid inlet chamber and said fluid filtration chamber having disposed therein means for sub-dividing said fluid filtration chamber into a plurality of horizontally oriented discrete fluid filtration sub-chambers;   an inlet cap member having a fluid inlet channel and a fluid receiving chamber defined therein, said inlet cap member being operably coupled to said first open end of said housing, wherein said fluid inlet channel is in fluid flow communication with said fluid inlet chamber and said fluid receiving chamber is in fluid flow communication with said fluid filtration chamber of said housing;   an outlet cap member having a fluid outlet chamber and a fluid outlet channel defined therein, said outlet cap member being operably coupled to said second open end of said housing, wherein said fluid outlet chamber is in fluid communication with a second end of said fluid filtration chamber and said fluid outlet channel conducts filtered fluid external to said housing;   and at least one filter medium provided in said fluid filtration chamber.   
     
     
       9. The water filtration apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a diverter valve which operably couples to a faucet, fluid conduit connected to said diverter valve, connection means for connecting said fluid conduit to said fluid inlet aperture in said housing and a spigot operably connected to said fluid outlet channel of said outlet cap member. 
     
     
       10. The water filtration apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said connection means further comprises a fluid coupling. 
     
     
       11. The water filtration apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said spigot is rotatable within said fluid outlet channel. 
     
     
       12. The water filtration apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said means for sub-dividing said fluid filtration chamber further comprises at least one cross-brace member provided within said fluid filtration chamber and extending a substantial lengthwise aspect of said fluid filtration chamber. 
     
     
       13. An apparatus for purifying water, comprising: an elongated housing defining at least one fluid inlet chamber and at least one fluid filtration chamber therein, said at least one inlet chamber and said at least one fluid filtration chamber extending parallel to a longitudinal axis of said housing, wherein said fluid inlet chamber is positioned above and substantially parallel to said fluid filtration chamber, said housing further comprising a fluid inlet aperture in fluid flow communication with said fluid inlet chamber and first and second open ends of said elongated housing;   an inlet end cap having a fluid flow channel and a fluid flow receiving chamber defined therein, said inlet end cap being operably coupled to said first open end of said elongated housing, wherein said fluid flow channel is in fluid flow communication with each of said fluid inlet chamber of said housing and said fluid flow receiving chamber, said fluid flow receiving chamber also being in fluid flow communication with said fluid filtration chamber of said elongated housing, wherein a flow of fluid is received by said fluid flow channel from said fluid inlet chamber and conducted through said fluid flow channel to said fluid flow receiving chamber, and therethrough to said fluid filtration chamber in said elongated housing;   an outlet end cap having a fluid outlet channel defined therein, said outlet cap member being operably coupled to said second open end of said elongated housing, wherein said fluid outlet channel is in fluid communication with a second end of said fluid filtration chamber in said housing, wherein the flow of fluid is received by said fluid outlet channel and conducted external to said elongated housing; and   at least one filter medium provided in said fluid filtration chamber.   
     
     
       14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said housing further comprises a tubular member having a generally quadrilateral cross-section. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said generally tubular member further has an arcuate upper section and a quadrilateral lower section, wherein said fluid inlet chamber resides within said arcuate upper section and said fluid filtration chamber resides within said quadrilateral lower section. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said fluid inlet chamber substantially extends the entire longitudinal axis of said housing. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said fluid filtration chamber extends the entire longitudinal axis of said housing and opens at each of said first and said second open ends of said housing. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said inlet end cap further comprises an engagement protrusion projecting laterally from said inlet end cap, wherein said fluid inlet opening is formed in said engagement protrusion; and at least one locking protrusion projecting laterally from said inlet end cap, wherein said at least one locking protrusion is adjacent to said fluid receiving chamber in said inlet end cap, said engagement protrusion and said at least one locking protrusion each, being configured to operably engage and couple one of said first and second open ends of said housing in fluid-tight engagement. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said outlet end cap further comprises receiving means for receiving a communicated fluid flow from said fluid filtration chamber in said housing, said receiving means also providing a fluid tight connection between said outlet cap member and said housing. 
     
     
       20. An apparatus for purifying water, comprising: an elongated housing defining at least one fluid inlet chamber and at least one fluid filtration chamber therein, said at least one inlet chamber and said at least one fluid filtration chamber extending parallel to a longitudinal axis of said housing, wherein said fluid inlet chamber is positioned above said fluid filtration chamber, said housing further comprising a fluid inlet aperture passing therethrough in fluid flow communication with said fluid inlet chamber, first and second open ends thereof, and said fluid filtration chamber having disposed therein a means for sub-dividing said fluid filtration chamber into a plurality of horizontally oriented discrete fluid filtration sub-chambers;   an inlet end cap having a fluid inlet channel and a fluid flow receiving chamber defined therein, said inlet end cap being operably coupled to said first open end of said elongated housing, wherein said fluid flow channel is in fluid flow communication with said fluid inlet chamber and in fluid flow communication with said fluid flow receiving chamber which is in fluid flow communication with said fluid filtration chamber of said elongated housing, wherein a flow of fluid is received by said fluid flow channel form said fluid inlet chamber and conducted through said fluid flow channel to said fluid flow receiving chamber, and therethrough to said fluid filtration chamber in said elongated housing;   an outlet end cap having a fluid outlet channel defined therein, said outlet cap member being operably coupled to said second open end of said elongated housing, wherein said fluid outlet channel is in fluid flow communication with a second end of said fluid filtration chamber in said housing, wherein the flow of fluid is received by said fluid outlet channel and conducted external to said elongated housing; and   at least one filter medium provided in said fluid filtration chamber.   
     
     
       21. The apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising a diverter valve which operably couples to a faucet, fluid conduit connected to said diverter valve, connection means for connecting said fluid conduit to said fluid inlet aperture in said housing and a spigot operably connected to said fluid outlet channel of said outlet cap member. 
     
     
       22. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said connection means further comprises a fluid coupling. 
     
     
       23. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said spigot is rotatable within said fluid outlet channel. 
     
     
       24. The apparatus according to claim 20 wherein said means for sub-dividing said fluid filtration chamber further comprises at least one cross-brace member provided within said fluid filtration chamber and extending a substantial lengthwise aspect of said fluid filtration chamber.